


The Olive Tree

by Menya_Savut



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Book 4: The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus), Everyone Is Good, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Multi, Other, Out of Character, Platonic Relationships, everyone is pining but little of it is romantic, everyone is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27575711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menya_Savut/pseuds/Menya_Savut
Summary: Three nights, two friends, one Jason Grace.
Relationships: Jason Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	The Olive Tree

**Author's Note:**

> suspend thy disbelief! this fic is an au/canon divergence. some details are wrong on purpose!

It was past 2 AM. Jason had just finished his watch shift for the night; he headed belowdecks, moving toward the kitchen to grab a glass of water before bed. Around him, the world was silent save for the distant blowing of the wind and the soft snores of his friends as he passed their cabin doors. 

When Jason reached the kitchen, the light was already on. Percy was there, putting away dishes. He turned at Jason’s approach. 

“Hey,” said Percy.

“Hey,” said Jason. He came into the room. “What are you doing up?” 

“Couldn’t sleep,” said Percy. “Did you just finish your watch shift?”

“Yeah,” said Jason. He watched as Percy snagged a plate from the drying rack and stored it away in a cupboard. Jason bit the inside of his lip, but then he continued. “Nightmares?” 

Percy paused. He looked at Jason. “Yeah,” he said. 

He offered Jason a thin smile. Jason couldn’t quite read the emotions within it. 

They’d closed the Doors of Death only a few days ago. The quiet inaction that had followed was almost jarring. Percy and Annabeth had been quieter too; it wasn’t obvious, but sometimes Jason got the sense that if no one interacted with the two of them, they would never speak again. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jason asked. He came in further to stand by the fridge, not too close to Percy, and not too far. 

“Yes...and no,” said Percy, his voice light. He returned to the drying rack and picked up a clean glass.

“You might feel better if you talk,” Jason said. 

But Percy met Jason’s eyes. 

“It was really bad, Jason,” Percy said softly. “I don’t want you to have to think about that kind of thing.” 

Jason’s heart clenched. “I want to help,” he said. 

“You are helping,” said Percy. 

Jason didn’t know what to say to that. 

“What did you come in here for?” Percy asked. 

“Oh - just a drink of water.” 

So Percy turned toward the sink, running the water and filling the glass he’d been holding. He handed the glass to Jason; Jason accepted it with a murmured “thanks.” 

Jason brought the glass to his lips. The water was cool. 

“I’m sorry you fell,” said Jason. 

“I’m not,” said Percy. 

His voice was sharp. But then he seemed to catch himself, and he shook his head. 

“I’ll be okay,” said Percy. “Don’t worry about me.” 

Percy finished putting the last of the dishes away. Jason could do nothing more, so he took a seat at the kitchen table. Percy joined him soon after. They sat in silence for a few moments. 

“You don’t have to sit up with me,” Jason said to Percy. “You should probably try to go back to sleep–” 

But his attention was caught by another figure at the door - thin, pale, curly black hair disheveled from sleep - Nico. The boy glanced furtively up at them and immediately made to move away again, and Jason opened his mouth -  _ Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare? Do you need anything?  _ \- but Percy spoke before he could. 

“Want some hot chocolate?” 

Nico paused at Percy’s words. Jason glanced between the two of them, at Nico’s guarded eyes, and Percy’s solemn ones. 

“Have you had it before?” Percy continued, still speaking to Nico. 

Nico’s mouth twitched. Percy answered for him. “Maybe. A long time ago.” 

Still Nico said nothing. He sheltered in the doorway, his eyes never leaving Percy. Finally, Percy inclined his head. 

“Come on.” 

Percy stood and went over to the cupboards. To Jason’s surprise, Nico came into the room, joining Percy at the counter. Percy pulled out a saucepan and set it on the stove. He went to the fridge and opened it, pulling out the jug of milk. 

“Can you drink milk?” Percy asked Nico. At Nico’s confused expression, Percy went on. “Does drinking milk make you feel sick?” 

Nico shook his head no. Percy poured some of the milk into the saucepan and replaced the jug in the fridge. 

“Jason, do you know where the sugar is?” Percy asked. 

Jason started; he’d zoned out a little, observing the two of them. But now he stood up and moved toward the corner cupboard. 

“I think it’s here…” 

Jason retrieved the sugar, and Percy set him to hunting around for the cocoa powder and chocolate chips as well. Percy had Nico measure out the ingredients and add them into the mix. Jason watched them closely. Nico stayed silent and kept his head down most of the time, but he went along with Percy’s directions. Percy spoke softly. 

“One more spoonful...drop it in…” 

Percy left Nico whisking while he fetched three mugs. Once everything had been melted together, Percy ladled out the hot chocolate for them. They went back to the table and sat with their drinks. 

“Is it good?” Percy asked Nico, as Nico took a sip. Nico nodded. 

The darkness of the windows surrounding the little kitchen stood in sharp contrast to the bright lights in the room. The hot chocolate was pleasantly rich and fragrant. Jason let the sweetness of it coat his mouth. The drink’s warmth seemed to lull Jason into a state of mellow half-sleep; the quiet of the night settled around him like a blanket. 

Percy propped his elbows on the table, his mug in front of him. “What do you think you’re gonna do once all this is over?” he asked. 

Jason looked at him. “I dunno,” he said. “Go back to Camp Jupiter, I guess. Although you’re the  _ praetor  _ now.” 

Percy let out a short exhale. “I’m not gonna continue being  _ praetor  _ now that you’re back. That was just a fluke.” 

“I don’t think it was,” said Jason, but Percy shook his head. 

“I should go back to Camp Half-Blood. I’ve been gone too long already.“

“But you’re usually just a summer camper, right?” said Jason. “Don’t you go to mortal school during the year?” 

“Yeah, but...I don’t know,” Percy sighed. “Maybe you’re right; I haven’t seen my mom in ages. I should go home to her. But I just...I don’t know if I can pretend to have a normal life, after everything.” 

Nico had been quiet through the exchange, simply drinking his hot chocolate and gazing down at the table. Jason’s eyes kept flicking to him surreptitiously. So did Percy’s, Jason noticed. 

“Anyway, it’ll be interesting now that the two camps know about each other,” said Percy. 

“More interesting than it’s already been?” Jason remarked wryly. 

Percy half-grinned. “I meant interesting in a good way. Not disastrously interesting.” 

Jason snorted. He took another sip of hot chocolate. 

“It  _ is  _ nice to know we’re not alone,” he said. 

The night went on. Jason let the calm of it wash over him. They fell into a silence, but none of them seemed to feel awkward about it. Not even Nico. 

Jason’s hot chocolate was nearly gone. 

“Thanks for this,” he said to Percy, indicating his mug, the night. Percy dipped his head. 

“No problem.” 

They talked for a little while longer. Eventually, it really was way too late to be awake. Jason stood, intending to put his mug in the sink. 

“Percy - is Nico asleep?” 

Percy glanced over at the boy. Nico’s arms were folded on the table’s surface, his head resting atop them. 

“Nico,” Percy murmured. 

No response. 

Percy collected his and Nico’s mugs and went to put them away. Jason followed suit with his own mug. Then Percy was crouching down beside Nico, his arms sliding around the boy–

“No!” 

Percy looked up at Jason’s outburst, clearly startled. Jason’s breath caught. 

What could he say? Definitely not  _ Nico has a crush on you, you shouldn’t touch him, you’ll freak him out, you don’t deserve to touch him, he deserves so much better than you– _

“Can you carry him?” Percy said quietly. Jason’s eyes locked onto him. Percy’s expression was unreadable. “Please.” 

Jason inhaled a shaky breath. But he came forward, taking Percy’s place and gathering Nico’s sleeping form into his arms. 

Jason stood, and Nico jerked and let out a little whimper. 

“It’s okay,” said Percy immediately, “it’s Jason and Percy. You’re safe.” 

Jason couldn’t see Percy; he had moved to stand behind him. But Jason felt the slight pressure of Nico’s cheek resting against his shoulder as Percy stroked Nico’s hair. Nico quieted down again. 

Nico was too small in Jason’s arms. But he rested fully against Jason as the three of them moved down the hall toward Nico’s cabin. Jason didn’t want to let Percy into Nico’s room, but it couldn’t be helped. Percy pushed open the door and held it for Jason to pass through. Jason laid Nico carefully down on his bed. Nico’s eyes blinked blearily open as Jason drew the covers over him. 

“Hush,” Jason murmured. “Everything’s okay. Go back to sleep.” 

The gaze that Nico fixed him with, however fleeting, was more open and unguarded than Jason had ever seen it. For an instant, Jason felt like he was intruding upon something he shouldn’t be witness to. But Nico’s eyes slid closed again. 

Percy stood at the door, saying nothing. Jason suspected that Nico hadn’t even seen Percy come into his room. 

Jason straightened up, and he and Percy exited the room. Jason closed the door softly behind them. 

“You should go to sleep too,” Jason said, keeping his voice low. He moved back toward the kitchen. “Don’t worry about the dirty dishes, I’ll take care of them–” 

“You’ve been up longer than me on watch,” said Percy. “You need to rest.” 

“Percy–” 

Percy let out a quiet laugh. His expression was warm, almost fond. “Split the difference?” 

They both went back to the kitchen and stood side by side at the sink, washing up together. The soft clinking of the mugs and the running water was the only sound in the room. Percy soaped up a mug and passed it to Jason to rinse. 

“I know you know something about Nico that I don’t,” Percy said. 

Jason opened his mouth to speak, but Percy went on. “I’m not going to ask you to tell me what it is.” 

Jason frowned to himself. He looked down at the freshly cleaned mug in his hands. 

“I just...I’ve known there was something I was missing about Nico for a while now,” said Percy. “I’ve been worried about him for years. Hopefully now that we’re both in the same place, I can actually do something about it.” 

Jason looked at Percy. The other met his gaze. There was that thin smile again. 

“Thank you for looking out for him,” said Percy. “I know things haven’t been easy.” 

Jason shook his head. “Of course.” 

Night watch again. Jason stood on the deck of the  _ Argo II,  _ gazing out into the black. Out here, it was a little cold; the wind stung his skin slightly. But Jason braced himself against it and continued scanning over the darkness. 

A soft sound caught Jason’s attention; he turned and spotted Percy ascending the stairs to the deck. Nico was in his arms. The boy was awake, and Jason could just barely see the tear tracks on his face in the dim light of the torches. Jason started to move toward them, but Percy turned away, going to one of the benches along the ship’s railing and sitting down, Nico in his lap. 

Jason watched them. Nico shivered against the chill, and Percy wrapped him up in his arms. Nico’s eyes flicked to Jason, then away. Percy’s eyes were on Nico, though. 

“What constellations do you know?” Percy said to Nico. Nico looked up at him, and then to the sky. Percy followed his gaze. 

“Scorpius,” Nico said, stretching out an arm to trace the patterns above them with a finger. “Sagittarius...Hercules.” He turned a little, looking past Jason. “Andromeda...Perseus.” 

Percy smiled softly at that. Nico lowered his arm again, and Percy stroked his shoulder with gentle fingers. Percy raised his own arm now and pointed to the stars. 

“And there’s Cassiopeia, Andromeda’s mom...and Pegasus, and Aquarius…” 

“There?” Nico murmured. Jason could barely hear his voice over the wind. Nico copied Percy’s movements with his own finger, and Percy grasped Nico’s wrist to guide his hand. 

“That’s Pegasus’s wing, there,” said Percy, moving Nico’s finger over the shapes. “And his head…he’s upside-down. But Aquarius is right side up...there’s his water jug, pouring down...” 

Their arms sank down again. Nico laid his head on Percy’s shoulder. Unbidden, a tightness wound around Jason’s chest. He didn’t know why. 

The night was calm. They were alone in the darkness, no danger coming down upon them, no other souls save for those on the ship. Suddenly, Jason found the stillness nearly overwhelming. 

Percy and Nico were silent beside him. Nico’s eyes had closed; he rested fully against Percy. Percy stroked his arm absentmindedly. 

After a moment, Percy spoke again. “You’re nearly asleep,” he said to Nico. “I’m gonna take you back to your room, okay?” 

In response, Nico wound his arms around Percy’s neck. Percy stood, lifting Nico up with him. 

“Little monkey,” Percy said fondly. 

Nico didn’t reply. Percy glanced at Jason. Jason wasn’t sure what Percy saw in his expression. But Percy only turned, disappearing down the stairs and out of sight. 

Jason waited until the two had gone before he sank down onto a bench. His hands fell onto his lap. His fingers curled. 

He ought to feel happy for Nico. It was clear that Percy wasn’t romantically interested in Nico, but whatever their relationship was now, Nico seemed content. More content than Jason had ever seen him, more content than he’d ever been with Jason, despite Jason’s best efforts. Jason felt the restless energy course through his muscles. It made sense; Percy had known Nico the longest, longer even than Hazel, and if Jason had understood correctly, Percy had been chasing after Nico for years. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that Nico had run away from him. It wasn’t Percy’s fault that his memories had been erased, that Nico had gone missing, that they’d both fallen into Tartarus… 

And Jason had doubted Nico when he’d first met him. 

The cold was beginning to creep into Jason’s skin in earnest now. He couldn’t deny it anymore. 

Another noise reached Jason’s ears. He turned around; Percy had returned. He crossed the deck toward Jason and sat down beside him. Percy said nothing. But Jason startled slightly when Percy rested his head on Jason’s shoulder. 

After a moment, Jason laid his cheek atop Percy’s head. 

“Percy?” 

Percy didn’t respond right away. But then, Jason felt the press of a kiss to his shoulder. Jason’s breath trembled. 

“I’m sorry,” said Percy. His head still rested on Jason’s shoulder. 

“What for?” Jason said immediately. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” 

“I don’t know,” said Percy. “I guess...I’m sorry no one’s really okay.” 

“That’s not your fault,” said Jason. 

He heard Percy exhale. “Still.” 

Percy was two years older than Jason. Right now, those two years felt as long as a lifetime. 

“Your shift’s almost over, right?” said Percy. Jason could feel the warmth from Percy’s body sinking into his own flesh. “Why don’t you turn in early? I’m already awake anyway.” 

Jason didn’t know how to respond. But finally, he said, “Can I sit here with you?” 

Percy breathed out very softly; Jason suspected he was smiling. “Sure.” 

It was evening, nearly bedtime. Jason put away the laundry he’d just finished folding and was just about to turn off the lights and climb into bed when he heard a knock on his door. 

He opened it to reveal Nico, dressed in pajamas. 

“Can I come in?” Nico asked. His expression betrayed nothing, as usual. 

“Sure,” said Jason. He held the door open, and Nico came into his room. 

“You can sit down if you want,” said Jason. Nico took a seat at the end of the bed. Jason sat beside him, making sure to give him his space. At first, Nico said nothing, simply gazing at the floor. But he finally spoke. 

“Percy told me he loves me,” Nico said. “That night, when he woke me up from my nightmare, before we went stargazing on the deck.”

Jason was startled into silence for a moment. But he found his voice. 

“I think he does love you,” said Jason. “I mean, not–”

“I know,” said Nico. He looked up at Jason. “He told me you love me too.” 

Jason paused. “I do love you,” he said, after a moment. 

Nico looked away. He worried the edge of his T-shirt between his fingers. He didn’t say anything more.

“What’s wrong?” asked Jason. 

Nico’s fingers stilled. “No one’s said that to me in a really long time. I guess I was just surprised.”

Nico was a kid. So was Jason, and Percy technically, but underneath all of Nico’s undeniable power and strength was a profound vulnerability that too often went unnoticed. Jason had seen it, when it had been forced out of Nico against his will. And Percy had seen it too, evidently, at some point that Jason couldn’t identify. And Percy had been wise enough to know what Nico needed to hear. 

_ He told me you love me too. _

“It’s true,” Jason said. He spoke with certainty. “I love you, and I know Hazel loves you, and I’m starting to believe Percy does too. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.” 

Nico was sitting at the end of Jason’s bed. He was too thin, and pale, and overtired, and his eyes seemed to gaze past anywhere Jason could see. Jason’s heart strained for him. 

“Are you okay?” Jason asked. 

Nico shifted out of his reverie. He looked up at Jason. “Yeah.” 

And Jason saw in Nico’s eyes that same openness that they’d held the night Jason had put Nico to bed, the night they’d made hot chocolate instead of drowning in fear. The intensity of Nico’s gaze nearly blew Jason away. Jason couldn’t help it; he reached out a hand and brushed Nico’s hair back. He was surprised when Nico let him do it. 

Jason would make sure Nico was okay. At the core of it, that was all that mattered. 

**Author's Note:**

> eh, you can skip the end note, i'm just gonna ramble   
> i feel like this fic is the spiritual successor to "organ-stop" except that all the characterizations are vastly different, especially percy's, and i mean, i tagged this as ooc, i'm aware that i might have extrapolated percy too far over the years, but i just keep writing him this way over and over...man, i come up with ONE headcanon and i just can't let it go, huh? oh well. i think i'm having fun.


End file.
